And here I am again: in Davis. I’m not disappointed to be back like I thought I would be, though. I am comforted by the fact that I have new friends, a richer mind, and a growing fervor to travel, work, and live internationally. Duly, I’m excited for a fun year… and can’t wait to earn my degree in the Spring so that I can go back!
Thank you to everyone in our program; I had a phenomenal time with y’all in Vienna.
The last three days have been a whirlwind. Here are a few photos of my favorite places and my favorite people from this trip.
Stadtpark
Weiss wien & Karlkirche
Julius Meinl, fresh bread, & cheap cheese
And last, but not least: The Historian & Die Mädels
The following are my questions from today’s presentations:
Atomic Energy Presentation
1. How is nuclear waste disposed of safely?
2. What are the main goals of and/or guideposts for the IAEA?
3. Is the IAEA a political entity? If not, how does it wield power or influence?
4. Who are the member nations of this agency? Who is not a member agency?
Human Trafficking Presentation
1. What is the definition of trafficking, as defined by the UN Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Section?
2. Have countries passed legislation that supports the Agency’s goals? If so, give us an example.
3. Are there regional offices and/or grassroots movements that operate as satellites for the Agency?
Intern Presentation
1. What type(s) of degrees must a candidate possess to earn an internship at the UN?
2. What type(s) of training must a candidate have completed to earn an internship at the UN?
3. Must a candidate know a foreign language to earn an internship at the UN?
4. Is every country, or at least every continent, represented in the internship pool?
KATHY: Continue this excursion! Today was awesome, and so informative. Plus, how cool was it that they have a copy of Hammurabi’s Code?
I liked seeing the Thomas Frankl’s artwork in person – and I learned something about Adolf Frankl that Thomas hadn’t told us before: one of the blurbs on the wall said that Adolf Frankl counted Van Gogh as an influencer of his work. After learning that fact, it is surprisingly clear, at least in terms of color and texture, that that was the case. I expected Adolf Frankl’s work to be much darker, but the brightness makes sense now. And this detail about Thomas’ father is important to me too because the Holocaust, for me and I imagine many others, seems really distant and unimaginable – and as a result I still feel secure and safe when talking about it because I am separate physically and can duly force myself to separate my emotions as well. But when I learn a detail about a Holocaust victim or survivor – like that he admired a painter that I also delight in, or in Kluger’s case, that familial troubles were still real and affecting – I am led closer to these people and stories, and I cannot detach myself as I did before. And it’s startling and unsettling when that happens, but the vulnerability of talking about these things is refreshing. Perhaps it is the only way atrocities like the Holocaust can end today and be avoided in the future. Thoughtful commemoration is a difficult task.
I also finally visited the Wien museum since I missed the class trip when I was in Ireland.
I love Max Kurzweil’s “Dame in Gelb,” so it was a treat to look at that in person.
I also looked at a few Biedermeier paintings; I don’t like most in that style, but I’m particularly fond of “Girl Reading” by Franz Eybl.
I visited the Imperial Crypt (Kaisergruft) and Imperial Treasury (Schatzkammer) today. The former was a disappointment because–not to sound crude–but I wanted to see some blood! Or at least a skull or two. I was bored, and I didn’t expect to be.
However, the cult following of Franz Joseph is amusing. A few of the bouquets looked a day or two old…
The Imperial Treasury was also equally as unexciting for me, though I am amazed that people actually wore robes like that pictured above. Could you imagine having to hand stitch all of the gold detail on the velvet cloak? The sword pictured is pointed; however, most of the swords in the Treasury were blunt, which I assume means that the Emperor used it to royally honor individuals.
…in the eyes of a priest at a church in central Vienna. He wasn’t too happy about her bare shoulders; I hope we don’t run into him when we’re filming our video because he’ll probably find a lot of other problems with our behavior at that point.
Regardless, Die Madels went on an excursion with Kathy to the aforementioned priest’s church (the exact name is escaping me), Peterskirche, the Plague Column, and Julius Meinl. I have to say, I was most excited by Julius Meinl; however, all of our stops were enlightening and (as whenever you’re surrounded with funny, enjoyable folks) memorable. Above is a picture of the church where we got in trouble. The Virgin Mary statue on the altar is famous because it has an ax stuck in the wood on its right side. The story is that Protestants tried to destroy the statue, but were unable to (due to divine intervention, etc.), so the Catholics kept the assailed statue to remember the power of God and faith. Note: I do not think that the ax that is currently stuck in the statue is an original…
Excuse the title; I was listening to the Sound of Music soundtrack earlier today, so the songs are on my mind. However, it’s true: the subjects of this blog, wine and TAL, are two of my favorite things.
Jenna, Juliet, Pilar, and I have really taken to the weiss wein here in Vienna. We’ve tried a few different varietals; however, surprise! the Gruner Veltliner is our favorite by far. I find it refreshing – alone and as a base for a Hugo – because it isn’t too sweet like a Riesling, but also isn’t too dry like a Syrah. In essence it is the perfect wine, and so I will be trekking back to the United States with a few bottles.
Secondly, This American Life is a fantastic broadcast that I listen to regularly. It’s a difficult program to describe, but essentially each week there is a theme, the episode is constructed into a number of acts, and each act tells a different story – most nonfiction but some fiction – about Americans. This week, Kathy (the professor for this program) is being featured in the episode! The theme is “Loopholes.” I don’t know anything else about it, but a few of us are staying up late to listen to it live. I can’t wait!
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I wrote a blog post after Mauthausen, but after careful consideration, decided to take it down because I’d prefer to save it for personal review. With an experience like this—visiting a concentration camp for the first time—I knew it would be difficult; however, it was much more demanding—emotionally, mentally, physically—than anticipated. I think we could have used more time to debrief during class. And perhaps, in the future, debriefing sessions can also be help in small group settings as well. Just a few suggestions…
The day we went to Mauthausen was rather strange, for the day felt almost like two. The morning was somber and thoughtful; we all slumped onto the bus around 4 PM feeling heavier than we had that morning. And then, very suddenly, we were in a neighboring town, with Kathy’s childhood best friend’s family, having this lighthearted, carefree evening. We waded in the river, played games with Kathy’s friend’s daughter, and told jokes. I cherish that evening; we were all genuinely happy to be in one another’s company.
[The picture is blurry, but it’s necessary to show the dancing.]
German word of the day:
| German word: | der Zylinder |
| English translation: | top hat |
| Part of speech: | noun |
Today we went to the Leopold Museum; I loved it. Their Klimt exhibit was, in my opinion, better than the Belvedere’s. The epistolary component of the exhibit was engaging and (gasp!) fun. I glanced at one of the letters, and it read: “Severely hung-over – but hopefully it will be beneficial.” Their exhibit gave a much clearer picture of Klimt as the man, not just the grand artist. Also, it was an incredible experience looking at Klimt’s “Law,” “Medicine,” and “Philosophy” in their original dimensions (even if they were just copies).
I also enjoyed the Leopold because I’ve grown fond of Shiele’s work while I’ve been in Vienna. I like his work – for the same reason why I like da Vinci’s paintings – because he understands the physiology and anatomy of the human body. Therefore, the bodies that he sketches and paints are very realistic in terms of look, proportion, and contortion. Attached is one of my favorites at the Leopold: “The Embrace.”
German word of the day:
| German word: | plaudern |
| English translation: | to chat |
| Part of speech: | verb |
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